The present invention relates to a portable cellular phone, and in particular, to a device and a method for searching directory memory of a portable cellular phone.
Communication terminal devices of there days such as portable cellular phones are generally provided with directory memory for storing a plurality of telephone numbers and corresponding data (names, addresses, etc.), and the user of the device can register and store telephone numbers and corresponding data in the directory memory if necessary by operating number keys etc. of the communication terminal device.
A communication terminal device which can release the user from such number key operation for registering data in the directory memory has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.SHO64-65963. The communication terminal device is aimed at eliminating the need for operation by the user for registration and management of the directory memory.
FIG.1 is a block diagram showing the conventional communication terminal device which has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.SHO64-65963. Referring to FIG. 1, the communication terminal device 20 comprises number keys 24 to be used for inputting telephone numbers etc., a display section 25 for displaying the name of a party (a person on the other end of the line: a calling party or a receiving party) etc., a temporary storage section 21 for storing telephone numbers that has been dialed by the user and the number of times of dialing of each telephone number, an electronic directory memory section 22 for storing data such as names to be displayed corresponding to telephone numbers, a control section 23 which detects a telephone number that has been dialed by the user more than a threshold number of times, acquires data that corresponds to the detected telephone number by searching a directory database 27 on a network 26, and registers the data in the electronic directory memory section 22.
When a telephone number that has not been registered in the electronic directory memory section 22 is dialed by the user using the number keys 24, the telephone number which has directly been inputted by the user is stored in the temporary storage section 21 and the number of times of dialing of the telephone number is also stored in the temporary storage section 21. The control section 23 is activated at a predetermined time interval. The control section 23 compares the number of times of dialing of each telephone number to a predetermined threshold number of times and thereby detects a telephone number that has been dialed by the user more than the threshold number of times, automatically acquires data that corresponds to the detected telephone number (the name, address, occupation, etc. of a subscriber corresponding to the telephone number) by searching the directory database 27 on the network 26, and registers the data in the electronic directory memory section 22.
On the other hand, with respect to xe2x80x9ccalling number identification presentationxe2x80x9d, that is, a technique for automatically displaying a telephone number etc. of a calling party on a display section of a telephone set of a receiving party, an exchange (a switch) which can inform the receiving party about the telephone number of the calling party and corresponding data such as the name and address, the company name, etc. has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No.HEI9-64977.
The conventional communication terminal device which has been described before can automatically register the telephone number and corresponding data of the receiving party in the electronic directory memory section 22 if the number of times of dialing of the telephone number is more than the threshold number. However, in the case where the number of times of dialing of the telephone number is not more than the threshold number, or in the case where the user intends to register a telephone number of a calling party, the user has to search the electronic directory memory section 22 and judge whether or not the telephone number has already been registered in the electronic directory memory section 22, before registering the telephone number in the electronic directory memory section 22 using the number keys 24.
In the case where the communication terminal device is a portable cellular phone, the storage capacity of the electronic directory memory section of the portable cellular phone is more limited in comparison with those of tabletop communication terminal device. When many telephone numbers have been registered and the electronic directory memory section is almost full, the need for judging whether or not the telephone number has already been registered becomes essential in order to avoid the repetition of registration of the same telephone number. Further, operation for searching the electronic directory memory section becomes complicated as the number of registered telephone numbers becomes large.
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide a device and a method for searching directory memory of a portable cellular phone, by which the directory memory of the portable cellular phone is automatically searched, whether or not a telephone number of a party (a person on the other end of the line: a calling party or a receiving party) and corresponding data has already been registered in the directory memory can be judged without operation by the user, and the result can be displayed to the user.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a directory memory searching method for a portable cellular phone which is provided with a directory memory means for storing a plurality of telephone numbers and data corresponding to each of the telephone numbers. The directory memory searching method comprises a telephone number temporary memory step, a search step, and a display step. In the telephone number temporary memory step, a telephone number of a party is detected on reception of a call to the portable cellular phone or on calling from the portable cellular phone, and the telephone number of the party is temporarily stored in a telephone number temporary memory means. In the search step, the directory memory means is searched for the telephone number of the party which has been stored in the telephone number temporary memory means, and it is judged whether or not the telephone number of the party has already been registered in the directory memory means. And in the display step, the result of the search step is displayed on a display means.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the result of the search step displayed in the display step includes the telephone number of the party and a symbol which indicates whether or not the telephone number has already been registered in the directory memory means.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, in the case where the user used abbreviated dialing for calling, the whole telephone number before abbreviation is detected and the whole telephone number is stored in the telephone number temporary memory means in the telephone number temporary memory step.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the display step is executed just after the telephone call is finished.
In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the search step and the display step are executed according to an instruction of the user of the portable cellular phone.
In accordance with a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect, the search step and the display step can also be executed with respect to an arbitrary telephone number that is inputted by the user of the portable cellular phone in other cases than reception and calling.
In accordance with a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a portable cellular phone comprising a radio communication means, an operation means, a directory memory means, a telephone number detection means, a telephone number temporary memory means, a search means, and a display means. The radio communication means executes radio communication with a base station. The operation means lets the user input instructions for operating the portable cellular phone. The directory memory means stores a plurality of telephone numbers and data corresponding to each of the telephone numbers. The telephone number detection means detects a telephone number of a party on reception of a call to the portable cellular phone or on calling from the portable cellular phone. The telephone number temporary memory means temporarily stores the telephone number of the party which has been detected by the telephone number detection means. The search means reads out the telephone number which has been stored in the telephone number temporary memory means, searches the directory memory means for the telephone number, and judges whether or not the telephone number has already been registered in the directory memory means. The display means displays information such as the result of the search and judgment by the search means.
In accordance with an eighth aspect of the present invention, in the seventh aspect, the result of the search and judgment displayed by the display means includes the telephone number of the party and a symbol which indicates whether or not the telephone number has already been registered in the directory memory means.
In accordance with a ninth aspect of the present invention, in the seventh aspect, in the case where the user used abbreviated dialing for calling, the telephone number detection means detects the whole telephone number before abbreviation, and the whole telephone number is stored in the telephone number temporary memory means.
In accordance with a tenth aspect of the present invention, in the seventh aspect, the display means displays the result of the search and judgment by the search means just after the telephone call is finished.
In accordance with an eleventh aspect of the present invention, in the seventh aspect, the search and judgment by the search means and the display of the result by the display means are executed according to an instruction of the user of the portable cellular phone.
In accordance with a twelfth aspect of the present invention, in the seventh aspect, the search and judgment by the search means and the display of the result by the display means can also be executed with respect to an arbitrary telephone number that is inputted by the user of the portable cellular phone in other cases than reception and calling.